Indiana lifestyle portrait photography | Hawaii destination weddings | fine art images

Alexa + Justin | Hawaii Destination Lifestyle Photography

2011-06-05T18:38:00.001-10:00

West Oahu, Hawaii
November 2010

I had the awesome pleasure of shooting Alexa and Justin's engagement session and their wedding. They are from California, but chose to have a small destination wedding with family and friends. For now, I've posted a few of their engagement photographs below. But be sure to check back to have a peek at a few of their wedding photographs as well!

Cheers!
B.

Liz + Don | Hawaii Destination Wedding

2011-05-22T11:30:00.001-10:00

Private Estate, North Shore, Oahu
July 2010

Love - love - love shooting intimate destination weddings. And I will share a little "secret" with you...Liz and Don just had their first little one arrive recently. A big congrats to you both!

Cheers!
B.

Serena + Dan | Hawaii Wedding Photography

2011-05-21T12:37:00.006-10:00

Secret Island & Hale Moliʻi, Oahu
June 2010

This wedding is probably tops when it comes to the entrance of the bride. Serena sailed in on a double hull outrigger canoe much to the surprise of everyone, including the groom. Don't you just love surprises?!?!

Cheers!
B.

It's catch up time!

2011-02-24T12:40:00.000-10:00

Yeah yeah - I know. Being MIA on blog posting has been my middle name. But I'm happy to share that I had a wonderfully busy year in 2010, and have finally {mostly} caught up so let the posting begin! Stay tuned for more....

For now I want to wish a couple of special gals "Happy Birthday!". My Scottie lasses turned 4 yrs old today, and were treated to an extra yummy breakfast. Needless to say they were eager beavers to dig in!

So yeah again - Scottie dogs rule. :o)

Cheers!
B.

A "Bee" and her "Honey" | Sneak Preview

2010-08-16T22:12:00.002-10:00

What's up with the title of this blog post you ask? Well it just so happens that I know a real life, walking, talking "Bee". As in a Weddingbee. Michelle (a.k.a Mrs. Sewing) is a blogger for the popular wedding site, and I am the lucky photog that she picked to capture her special day.

Now any 'ol photographer would be jumping for joy at being a "Bee's" photog, but I was actually pretty doggone excited about Michelle and Craig's wedding for a different reason....they are fellow geeks. And I mean that as the highest of compliments as a Ph.D. carrying science geek myself. They are both engineers, and as such proudly incorporated many, many details that reflected their artistic and DIY personalities. Shootz - there was a cornucopia of anime themes, and their wedding cake even had a power line climbing up its side with a working lamp at the top. BTW, those are not alien symbols from another world on the side of the cake; rather they are circuit diagrams (what can I say...they are electrical engineers!).

Below are a few teasers to share for now...but stay tuned for Episode II and more photos from their very fun and inspiring wedding in a galaxy not-so far far away. ;o)

Cheers!
B.

P.S. Be sure to check out Michelle's many posts on her inspirational DIY ideas.

Christie + Daryl | Hawaii Wedding Photography

2010-08-09T10:55:00.006-10:00

When: May 2010
Where: Paradise Cove
What: Hawaii Destination Wedding

I have had the pleasure of knowing Christie and Daryl for a while now. I first photographed them at their engagement session last year during their scouting trip to the islands, and after the fun time we had I was really looking forward to photographing their wedding. Especially as I knew Christie was using a very vivid color pallet! It seemed like forever for their to wedding arrive, and when the day finally came it was fantastic.

They are both from Australia so of course most of their guests were Aussies also. And if you have ever had the pleasure of meeting a person from Oz, you know what I mean about "no worries" being their motto and reflective of their carefree attitude. Even though we had a wee bit of rain, their wedding was truly a celebration with plenty of love, family, friends, and a healthy dash of fun. I'm keeping my fingers crossed they come back to Hawaii sometime and I get to do an anniversary photo session with them. But for now, please enjoy a few their wedding photographs below, and be sure to keep your eyes open for images from their "Day After" session.

Cheers!
B.

vendor info:
Wedding Consultant: Hawaii Weddings and Events
Videographer: Prince7 Studios, LLC
Cake: A Cake Life
Officiant: Rev. Greg Christopherson
Venue: Paradise Cove

Betsy + Otto | Hawaii Destination Wedding

2010-07-10T20:50:00.002-10:00

When: May 2010
Where: North Shore (Turtle Bay Resort), Oahu
What: Intimate Hawaii Destination Wedding

Betsy and Otto traveled to the North Shore from Arkansas to tie the knot in a very intimate and beautiful destination wedding. I really enjoyed getting to know more about each of them as the day went on, including how Betsy just graduated from law school (congrats!!) and how they met during a court session (Otto, who is a lawyer also, used a pretty creative way to approach Betsy that could only have worked given the circumstances).

Betsy was an absolutely gorgeous bride, and I love the dapper suite that Otto wore. You betcha we had plenty fun, and I did not have to ask twice for them to kiss during photos - aahhhh amore! ;o)

You can have a peek at their gallery on my Facebook page to see a few more photos from their wedding.

Cheers!
B.

Jennifer + Andrew | Hawaii Destination Wedding

2010-06-02T10:52:00.004-10:00

When: February 2010
Where: North Shore, Oahu
What: Intimate Hawaii Destination Wedding

This wedding is looooong overdue to be blogged. Jennifer and Andrew were referred to me by another destination bride (thanks Leah!), and had an intimate wedding surrounded by family and friends. It was a very emotional and touching ceremony (many a tear was shed by those attending) - even the weather gods could not diminish everyone's happiness. AND I have to say that Jennifer was absolutely stunning in her custom made gown. I loved the long train!!

Be sure to look at their gallery on my Facebook page to see a few more photos from their wedding.

Cheers!
B.

Jaquelyn + Grant {sneak preview}

2010-04-19T11:59:00.004-10:00

When: April 2010
Where: Halekulani Hotel, Waikiki
What: Intimate Hawaii Wedding

I recently photographed my first wedding at the Halekulani, and boy was I excited. No, not because it was at that particular venue, but because the bride and groom rocked! (No pun intended as Grant happens to be a drummer in a local band!)

Jaquelyn and Grant elected to have many non-traditional elements in their wedding to reflect their individual personalities. Jaquelyn's blue shoes (which were stunning) and Grant's choice to wear a bow tie are perfect examples of how they stayed true to themselves. Ahhhh - to be young and in love!

This was only the second wedding I have photographed in the rain, and everyone grabbed an umbrella and took the Hawaiian blessing in stride. Their friends and family truly helped to make this wedding a joyous and happy occasion for Jaquelyn and Grant, including showing a surprise slide show. Alas, I got caught up in laughing along with everyone else many times during the reception - an occupational hazard you could say. :o)

Anyhows, below are a few "teaser" photographs from their wedding - enjoy!

Cheers!
B.

Wendy + Dan | Hawaii Destination Wedding

2010-04-16T10:45:00.003-10:00

When: February 2010
Where: The Lotus Hotel; Waialae Beach
What: Intimate Hawaii Destination Wedding

I know I've said it before but indulge me as I mention it again - I love photographing intimate weddings. Maybe it is because during these types of weddings it is all about just the bride and groom and the special bond of love they share. So when Wendy and Dan, who are from San Francisco, contacted me about perhaps photographing their small destination wedding, I was pretty excited.

Wendy is a freelance graphic artist and designer (check out her web site here: www.wendy-wright.com ) and Dan is a photographer and digital artist himself (you can see his cool photographs here: www.dandoerner.com). So of course I felt a little more pressure as most of us photogs do when we shoot another photogs wedding. But once things started - they made my job easy as pie with their down-to-earth attitudes. And of course that fact that they emanated so much happiness along with their friends was pretty much icing on the cake for a fun and romantic wedding!

Cheers!
B.

P.S. For more photographs from their wedding, be sure to look at their gallery on my Facebook page.

The Chand Family | Hawaii Lifestyle Photography

2010-04-14T16:06:00.001-10:00

I get many clients who inquire about a lifestyle photography session during their visit to the islands. It is a great way to roll a family holiday into a portrait session full of fun memories. The Chand Family decided to do just that during their recent stay here in Hawaii. We did a morning session in Kailua, and I had a blast photographing their two beautiful daughters. Oh to be a kid again with so much energy! ;o)

Cheers!
B.

The Rebmann Family | Hawaii Portrait Photography

2010-04-04T19:56:00.001-10:00

Another belated post I'm afraid! I'm delighted to say this year is becoming a very busy one, and I am slowly catching up. I'm REALLY looking forward to blogging more from the many fun and fantastic portrait session and weddings I have had the pleasure of shooting thus far this year.

This family portrait session was MUCH larger than the usual sessions I photograph. When Laura contacted me about perhaps photographing her family, we created a special package to accommodate her needs. Her parents and siblings were coming for a visit and they really wanted to a memento for the occasion. What better way to keep a memory than through photography? :o)

Enjoy the photos!

Cheers!
B.

The Spheeris Family | Hawaii Portrait Photography

2010-02-16T15:28:00.004-10:00

As I was backing up and archiving my photo sessions from last year, I realized I had not shared my holiday photo session with the Spheeris family yet. Yikes!

This session was extra special because it was the first time I had seen them since I had shot their maternity portraits early last year. Mr. "M" was quite the active little guy and was not into sitting still...too much to see and do! Needless to say, it was very fun following (a.k.a chasing) him around capturing his adventures.

Cheers!
B.

The Chens | Hawaii Portrait Photography

2010-02-12T09:53:00.001-10:00

When: December 2009
Where: Oahu, HI

The Chens contacted me last minute right before their December holiday visit about having some lifestyle portraits taken. Turns out they were eloping and instead of having photos taken during their wedding, they wanted some fun beach portraits to remember Hawaii by instead. Of course I was more than happy to oblige, and Mother nature did as well with some beautiful blue sunny skies and afternoon lighting.

Congrats to the Chens and Happy Chinese New Year!

Cheers!
B.

If the dictionary only showed pictures...

2010-02-01T12:22:00.004-10:00

...I think this is what you would see if you looked up "cuteness".
Happy Monday, everyone!
:o)

Cheers!
B.

P.S. Be sure to check back to see more photos from the Chand family portrait session.

Stacy + Thomas | Hawaii Wedding Photography

2010-01-30T17:27:00.008-10:00

When: December 2009
Where: Private Estate, Kaaawa, Oahu
What: Intimate Hawaii Wedding

A wedding on winter solstice - well that's pretty groovy. A wedding processional that includes music from the movie, The Princess Bride - that's very groovy in my book! There were lots and lots of personal touches at Stacy and Thomas' wedding that truly made it a celebration of their love and their family. One of the big ones that stood out with me was that Stacy wore her grand mum's wedding dress. How many brides do that nowadays?!?!? And I loved the matching vintage and elegant look of her veil and headdress.

After the ceremony their family and guests enjoyed a home cooked fine dinner, and plenty of laughs and smiles. A perfect way to end their perfect intimate wedding. To Stacy and Thomas and their family.....MAHALO! ;o)

Cheers!
B.

P.S. Be sure to have a look at a few more fun photos in their gallery on my Facebook page.

vendor info:
Wedding Consultant: Katy Castillo
Cake: Sunshines Cake Creations
Officiant: Rev. Greg Christopherson

M & C's Quest for Holy Matrimony

2010-01-22T10:19:00.004-10:00

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Michelle and Craig during their scouting trip to Hawaii for their "semi-destination" wedding. Both of them currently live in California, but Craig is originally from Oahu and still has lots of family here, thus the "semi" part.

I really enjoyed talking story with them about their wedding plans, and the more I learned about them the more excited I was about possibly shooting their wedding. They are both engineers, but have a fabulous creative streak also. Needless to say I love working with clients like this because...well I'm not ashamed to admit it but I am a big science/techie geek myself (not to imply that Michelle or Craig are geeks mind you!) who also enjoys flexing the 'ol creative muscles. BUT Michelle and Craig are taking the creative and DIY thing up a whole other notch (e.g. think making her wedding dress!).

Thus when I got their contract in the mail the other day, I was delighted to see their Save the Date (STD) that was included in the envelope. All I could think was "Shazam! - this is waaay groovy" and then promptly put it on my frig, which is of course the sacred spot in all houses near and far for that stuff which is cool. :o)

Be sure to check out their STD below...Michelle drew and designed it herself. I love the comic book theme and of course it is a one-of-a-kind work of art. She designed it so that the center piece is a magnet which is always handy to have on the frig. If this is their STD, I can't wait to see what else these two come up with for their wedding.

Cheers!
B.

P.S. For those local couples that may not be as artistically inclined as Michelle and need a little help w/ their wedding stationary, I highly recommend Shauna at Fresh, Inc. in the Windward Mall in Kaneohe. She offers some really cool and environmentally friendly options and can help create a custom design that is totally you.

Stella + Joy + Diva | Hawaii Portrait Photography

2010-01-14T21:01:00.004-10:00

When: December 2009
What: Hawaii Fine Art Pet-ography

"Every dog must have his day." ~ Jonathan Swift

What can I say about this fun, energetic, slobbery (and did I mentioned fun) portrait session? Except that I wish I had the opportunity to shoot more doggie portrait sessions. *hint hint: if you are interested in having a fine art photo session for your dog, contact me for more info about custom packages*

And in case you could not guess...yes, I love dogs! ;oD

Cheers!
B.

Shannon & Jason | Hawaii Wedding Photography

2010-01-07T11:42:00.006-10:00

When: November 2009
Where: Kaneohe, Oahu
What: Intimate Hawaii Wedding

Who doesn't love a romantic laid back wedding with lots of personal details? I know I do so it was a such a pleasure to photograph Shannon and Jason's wedding. Shannon was a total DIY bride, and I was impressed and amazed at how nice all the details of her wedding came together. But among the top fond memories of being their wedding photographer are how well Shannon and Jason clicked together (Jason was such a gentleman to Shannon!), and how nice their friends and family were. Being surround by love, friends, and fellowship - what else could you ask for when you start a new life together?!?

Congrats to Shannon and Jason, and best wishes in the New Year!

Cheers!
B.

P.S. Want to see a few more photos from their wedding? Have a look at their gallery on my Facebook page.

Contact Info

2010-01-01T10:33:00.003-10:00

Happy Holidays

2009-12-24T11:39:00.002-10:00

...to loved ones and friends, near and far!!

Cheers,
B.

{Below are some fun holiday images I took while checking out holiday lights in a festive Kaneohe neighborhood. I think the 'Island Style' tree ornaments has to have been the most unusual decoration I saw that night. Instead of milk and cookies I wonder if they will be leaving Santa a Budlight and sashimi? ;oD }

The Miyasato Family | Hawaii Portrait Photography

2009-12-22T16:21:00.001-10:00

When: November 2009
Where: Oahu, HI
What: Family Portrait Session

I recently met up with the Miyasato's for a family portrait session, and one of the highlights was photographing their adorable daughter, "E". "E" is way less than a year old and already she has lots of cute attitude. All I can say is "watch out" future boyfriends as I'm sure she will have you wrapped around her little finger. ;o)

With winter being our "wet season" here in Hawaii, we were blessed with some great weather and lighting. That along with Traci and Corey's easy going attitude made for what I think are some great memories. Happy Holidays & Merry First Christmas with "E"!

Cheers!
B.

The Salazar Family | Hawaii Portrait Photography

2009-12-14T15:04:00.004-10:00

When: November 2009
Where: Oahu, HI
What: Family Portrait Session

It is hard to believe that there are only about 2 weeks left in 2009! It's that time of year where everyone is busy sharing time with loved ones near and far, and of course doing some holiday shopping as well. It is also that time of the year for the holiday portrait session rush. Thus I am looking forward to sharing a few of these sessions with you over the next couple of weeks!

Jackie contacted me a couple of months ago about photographing her family, and I was very flattered that she had been wanting to book me for a while. I'm very very glad that she finally did because I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her and her family! Her daughter is as cute as can be - I'm sure dad is going to be a busy guy screening all her suitors when she grows up. ;O)

Cheers!
B.

And the winner is...

2009-12-07T11:28:00.020-10:00

It was a very close round of voting...but after all the votes were tallied Entry #6 came out ahead and is the winner of the canvas gallery wrap. Congrats to the Santos family!

And Annie-belle and her sister, Laurie Lei, want to thank everyone who left a comment for their fundraiser - they donated $35 to the Scottie Kingdom Rescue to help fellow Scotties find their forever home.

Cheers!
B.

Which is your favorite? Vote Now!

2009-11-26T00:01:00.000-10:00

Thanks everyone for their submissions - after much anticipation the entries are posted below. You may vote using the gadget towards the bottom of the page through 11 PM, HST Dec 4, 2009 - only one vote per person so make sure you vote for the one you like best the first time! The winner will be announced on Monday, Dec 7th and will receive a 16x24 gallery canvas wrap of the winning photograph.

Best wishes and luck to all entries!

Cheers!
B.

P.S. You may notice that there is a photo included of Annie-belle, my Scottie, in the list. :o) No she is not competing for the gallery wrap, but for every comment left on this post, she will donate $1 (up to $75.) to her favorite doggie rescue organization (Scottie Kingdom Rescue). Happy Thanksgiving!

Mahalo, Merci, Gracias - Thanks!

2009-11-13T11:19:00.002-10:00

It is hard to believe that 2009 is almost over, and that 2010 is just around the corner. With the holidays upon us, it is often the time that many of us take time out of our busy schedules to truly appreciate and be thankful for the many blessings we have. Thus I want to take this opportunity to thank all my past clients for allowing me to document such wonderful, amazing, and precious memories.

I know many photographers post their favs from the previous year at the start of the new year, but there are so many that I love that it would be too hard to choose. Therefore I am going to let you choose!

So calling all my past clients....from way back when through October 2009, send me an email describing your favorite Terra Photography photo (e.g. file name) from your portrait session or wedding by 11 PM HST, Monday, November 23, 2009. I'll post them on Thanksgiving Day (Nov 26th) through Dec 4th and let the readers choose which one is their fav. The winner will be announced on Monday, Dec 7th and will receive a 16x24 gallery canvas wrap of the winning photograph.

Cheers!
B.

Shannon + Jason | Hawaii wedding photography snapshot

2009-11-10T21:32:00.003-10:00

Sometimes when I am shooting a wedding, I spy with my little eye and imagine in my mind's eye a setting that I know will work with a certain artistic style. It does not happen all the time - but I saw the opportunity at Shannon and Jason's wedding and they were kind enough to humor me.

I had asked them to hang out in some flowering weeds next to the golf course green, and by their expressions they looked a little doubtful of my motives. But all was dandy after I showed them one of the images on my camera. And after I did some creative processing, I hope they like the image even more. I could not decide between the color version and the vintage so I'm posting both. *sigh* Isn't love grand?!?

Cheers!
B.

P.S. Be sure to check back again as I'll eventually be posting more from their intimate wedding. What?!? You want to have a peek at one more? Oh alright - have a looksie on the Terra Photography Facebook page. :o)

Catching up | Hawaii portrait photography

2009-11-05T20:05:00.002-10:00

I know - things have been quiet on the blog for the past month. But with the new PC I've been able to catch up on processing some recent family photo sessions (yay!), and so I thought I would share a few favorites.

The first set are of Renee and Adam's family, with new baby Ashton. (You may recognize them since I also photographed their maternity session a while back). Ashton is such a cutie and sweet tempered babe, and Renee's parents were obviously proud and excited to spend time with the grand baby.

The second set are of another repeat client. I photographed Sarah's family way back when, but they recently decided to move to Texas so wanted to have a family session with extended family as well. It was nice to see Maddy (her daughter) who had grown up so much and is becoming quite adventurer. Best wishes to Sarah in her new home!

The third set is of the Kim family who were visiting from Oregon. It was a bit of a windy day with a lot of haze, but that did not dampen their adventurous spirit (as you can tell!).

Be sure to visit the Terra Photography Facebook page to see more of my fav photos processed in the last month. Don't forget to become a fan!

Cheers!
B.

Yoli + Christian | destination wedding | sneak preview

2009-10-01T08:17:00.008-10:00

When: September 2009
Where: North Shore, Oahu
What: Hawaii Destination Wedding

This fantastic intimate destination wedding has to be in the top 10 of my all time favs. Why you may ask? Well let me share a few of the reasons why...

1. There were lots and lots of wonderful personal details incorporated in their wedding celebration. Yoli took the rock climbing theme from her engagement session and included it throughout. I mean heck - check out their cake toppers! Christian's mom (who is a multi-talented artist) made them, along with the ring pillow. They also named the reception tables based on their favorite rock climbing spots.

2. Ahhh mi amore! Yeppers - love was in the air and I mean everywhere around Yoli and Christian. 'Nuff said.

3. family + friends = fun! Can't get any better than that when you are surrounded by large doses of happiness. I'm ashamed to say I caught myself a few times actually laughing out loud with everyone else when Christian's brother, Ty, and Yoli's dad give their speeches. I call it an occupational hazard.

Any regrets? I have only one - that we did not have one more hour of sunlight for more photos on the beach. Alas...

And now a drum roll please....without further ado, I present to you Yoli & Christian's lovely wedding.

Cheers!
B.

P.S. Want to see more teaser photos? Have a look at their gallery featuring a few more fab details from their wedding on my Facebook page. Don't forget to become a fan!

vendor info:
Wedding Coordination: KathE Garcia from Gayle Weddings
Venue: Ke Iki Bungalows
Catering: Indigo
Hair & Makeup: Leslie Fair

A Splash of Color and Creativity

2009-09-28T18:53:00.007-10:00

I know many destination brides enjoy DIY projects to flex their creative muscles and make their wedding a little more personal - as well as to help stay within their budget. Hence let me introduce Christie as one of those gals!

Christie and Daryl booked me to photograph their 2010 destination wedding (I also photographed a hot engagement session of them earlier this year), and so Christie sent me a copy of the DIY invite she created. Love the individual touches like her logo on the popular boarding pass theme, and her colors really POP! Thus I decided to share the love and show a little tease of their invites...be sure to watch the rest of the "peep show" on my Facebook page. ;o)

Cheers!
B.

Yoli + Christian {sneak preview pt.1}

2009-09-22T20:24:00.008-10:00

When: September 2009
Where: Oahu, HI
What: Engagement Portrait Session

Holy cow, Batman!

Yeah, that is one of the many thoughts that went through my head as I photographed Yolanda (a.k.a. Yoli) and Christian during their recent engagement session. When Yoli and I had emailed back and forth about scheduling an engagement session before their wedding, she mentioned that her and Christian are rock climbers so wanted to have part of their session around that theme. I'm thinking 'sounds good'! I'm always up for something new, but little did I know that they would take me to an actual rock climbing spot here on the island and "hang out".

They of course were happy campers and right in their element, but I have to admit I am a tad afraid of heights (o.k. maybe just a bit more than a tad) so photographing them while leaning over the side of a cliff was quite the adventure. :o) But after all is said and done, I would not hesitate to do it again in a New York minute!

Check out the teaser photos of their high flying love below - I'm so lucky to be photographing their wedding this weekend which I'm sure will be as much fun and exciting as their portrait session.

Cheers!
B.

Santa Fe Workshop - Part 1

2009-09-08T19:26:00.009-10:00

I know - things have been silent on the blog lately mostly because I have been furiously trying to catch up on a backlog of processing. It was time to put my poor old PC out to pasture and get another...and let me tell you the new bugger screams! :o)

Anyhows, I am mostly caught up now so decided to start posting some of the images I shot during the creative workshop I took in New Mexico. The instructor of the workshop was the amazing Joe Buissink, who was listed by American Photo as one of the top wedding photographers in the world. Even though the workshop was being taught by a wedding photography master, the focus was not on weddings. Rather it was to allow the professional photographer to get their creative juices flowing in new directions. Joe helped this process by lots of encouragement, constructive criticism, and showing his non-wedding work. I was especially keen to take this workshop because the focus was more than just wedding photography, it was about challenging yourself and looking within as a photographer to find a new creative side within ourselves.

Besides having Joe there to help us on our creative journey, we got to work with some fantastic models. And as I process the photos from my trip, I'll be sharing more about them and what an honor and privilege it was to get to know them and work with them.

In this post, I'd like to introduce Asia. Asia is a relative newcomer to modeling, but man she already rocks! The girl was up for trying anything to help us get the shots we "saw". She was always positive, and as you can see really worked the camera! And yes, that is her kick ^%$ car - when I saw that I knew I had to use it as a prop and Asia was kind enough to oblige. If you are a photographer and ever out Santa Fe way - definitely look her up.

Cheers!
B.

You can check out more photographs from this workshop and Santa Fe in general on my Facebook page.

Alyssa + Tim {sneak preview}

2009-08-21T22:19:00.007-10:00

When: August 2009
Where: Oahu, HI
What: Engagement Portrait Session

What is the BIGGEST perk to being a lifestyle photographer? Meeting and spending time with such a variety of wonderful, kind, and fun people. My engagement session with Tim and Alyssa is a perfect example - especially since they just fit together perfectly. Have to say though that both Alyssa and I got a good chuckle at how well Tim was working it for the photos. Me thinks he must have done his homework beforehand because most guys are not as comfortable or styling for the camera as he was. Let me tell ya gals - Alyssa has a keeper!

Tim is in the armed services and stationed here in Hawaii, and Alyssa is finishing up her last year in college on the mainland. They are actually getting married back east next year, and I want to send a HUGE thanks for the fab Emily Porter for referring me to them for their engagement portraits. (Emily is the lucky gal photographing their wedding so be sure to check out her in blog in August 2010 to see their wedding photos - I know I will be!)

Cheers!
B.

To see more teaser photographs from their engagement session be sure to have a look at their gallery on my Facebook page.

Kate + Adam {Sneak Preview - Part II}

2009-08-14T19:58:00.004-10:00

When: July 2009
Where: North Shore, Oahu
What: Day After Portrait Session

As I mentioned earlier, when Kate and Adam booked me for their wedding they also wanted some fun, casual shots around Haleiwa town. So we did a slow stroll along the main road stopping here and there where our fancy took us. Unfortunately Matsumoto's shave ice was closed when we got there (their machine had broke!). But lucky for us another shop down the street was open, and as a result I think their daughter is now a fan of shave ice. :o)

A high point of our afternoon was definitely all the wonderful and friendly people who waved and congratulated them on their wedding. It's nice to see that the Aloha spirit is still very much around!

You can see more fun photographs from our walk-about in their gallery on my Facebook page.

Cheers!
B.

Back from New Mexico!

2009-08-13T09:47:00.007-10:00

Well I am finally back from my wonderful trip to New Mexico. Santa Fe was fantastic - of course! The workshop was amazing, and I was fortunate enough to make some new friends during my travels.

I'm slowly catching up on processing and posting photographs from June - July, so many thanks for your patience! Clients should be seeing some new images posted soon in your galleries, and for the blog readers you'll eventually be seeing some more shots I took while on my travels.

Did I mention how awesome my trip was?? ;o)

Cheers!
B.

~ out of the office ~

2009-07-30T21:31:00.002-10:00

Hola!

I'm off to the Mainland until @ Aug 10th, and will only have sporadic internet access. Feel free to give me a call though if you would like to inquire about future bookings before I return or have a question that is urgent.

Proof galleries for current weddings/portrait sessions will be updated after I get back...

Cheers!
B.

Whitney + Chris {sneak preview}

2009-07-30T21:14:00.005-10:00

When: July 2009
Where: Windward, Oahu
What: Intimate Hawaii Wedding

This wedding was a first for me - my first sunrise wedding! And I owe Mother Nature a big favor since she paused the rain that morning for a beautiful sunrise in honor of Whitney and Chris' intimate wedding.

What's one something special that I remember about their wedding? When I first arrived at the private estate Whitney's dad was rushing about putting together the last minute details on the lawn. By the smile on his face though I could tell he was nervous, but also very excited for his daughter and her special day.

More photographs from their intimate Hawaii wedding can be seen in their gallery on my Facebook page.

Cheers!
B.

Kate + Adam {sneak preview}

2009-07-29T08:57:00.006-10:00

When: July 2009
Where: North Shore, Oahu
What: Intimate Destination Wedding

When Kate and Adam decided to have an intimate destination wedding in Hawaii, they contacted Katy Castillo to help coordinate the details from afar. Lucky for me I was one of the vendors that she recommended!

Thanks to Mother Nature, the lighting for their sunset wedding was perfect. Kate looked absolutely gorgeous, and I loved the clean and elegant design of her dress. Of course Adam looked quite dapper in his suit as well. All I can say about their daughter is that they are probably going to be busy keeping the boys away when she grows up! (Not only is she cute, but probably one of the smartest girls her age that I have met).

Kate wanted some fun shots around Haleiwa town so we also did a more casual portrait shoot a couple days later, but you're gonna have to wait to see those. :o)

Wanna see some more from their intimate Hawaii wedding? You can check them out in their gallery on my Facebook page.

Cheers!
B.

Nikki + Matthew {TTD Preview}

2009-07-25T09:00:00.007-10:00

When: July 2009
Where: Oahu, HI
What: Trash the Dress / Day After Photo Session

As you probably already know if you stop in from time to time I very much enjoy 'Day After' photo sessions. I get the bride and groom all to myself and they are usually much more relaxed without the commitments associated with a wedding, which of course helps to make those fab photographs.

Nikki was actually sick on her wedding day (poor gal!) but luckily was fine the day of our TTD session. Matt was his usual gentleman self and we all ended up having a grand 'ol time getting soaked by the ocean. You know you gotta love the expression on their faces in the photo below when they got a surprise splash by a rogue wave. Yeppers, besides one small hiccup with a lifeguard (*shush - it's a secret*), it was a good day!

Cheers!
B.

To see more teaser photographs from this romantic TTD session check out their gallery on
my Facebook page.

Nikki + Matthew {sneak preview}

2009-07-19T22:56:00.007-10:00

When: July 2009
Where: Oahu, Hawaii
What: Intimate Hawaii Wedding

Here it is as promised - a few teaser images from Nikki & Matt's intimate wedding. I really enjoyed their engagement session and was looking forward to shooting their wedding. After all, what can be more all-American than a serviceman marrying his high school sweetheart on July 4th? I think a highlight of the day was all the friendly folks around the hotel that gave Nikki and Matt a heartfelt congrats as we walked around shooting photos. Gotta love that aloha spirit. :o)

Cheers!
B.

P.S. They also booked a 'Day After' session so be sure to check back for a looksie at those.

Renee + Adam = plus one {sneak preview}

2009-07-11T13:19:00.001-10:00

When: July 2009
Where: Leeward Oahu, Hawaii
What:Maternity Portrait Session

Renee and Adam are expecting their first little one very soon. And when Renee contacted me about possibly scheduling a maternity session, we ended up talking on the phone for over an hour. Well what do you expect when two doggie people start talking about their fur-babies?! I'm glad that they decided to include their 'pup', Makua, in the photo shoot. Even though he kept us on our toes and laughing with his playfulness, he is obviously an important part of their family as well. :o)

They do not know if their baby will be a boy or girl yet, but isn't the wait exciting? I think the vote was that it will be a boy, but we shall have to wait and see....

To see a few other images from Renee & Adam's maternity session, be sure to check out their gallery on my Facebook page.

Cheers!
B.

Carrie + Stu {sneak preview}

2009-07-09T12:38:00.011-10:00

When: June 2009
Where: Oahu, Hawaii
What: Intimate Hawaii Wedding

Carrie and Stewart (a.k.a. Stu) had booked me many many moons ago, and I was pretty excited to be photographing a wedding at Moli`i Gardens again. It is such a great location that takes advantage of Hawaii's lush greenery as opposed to it's beaches. But much to my delight they had booked the boat to take us across to the "Secret Island" and capture some beach shots as well.

What was my fav aspect about this wedding? The COLORS!! There was bright & bold color everywhere. Sometimes folks ask what helps to make beautiful wedding imagery? COLOR!! and lots of it. Be sure to check out Carrie's bouquet - yum!

vendor info:
Venue: Moli`i Gardens (Kualoa Ranch)
Catering: Indigo Restaurant

To see more preview images from Carrie & Stu's wedding check out their gallery on my Facebook page.

Cheers!
B.

Julee + Aron {TTD Preview}

2009-07-05T12:21:00.008-10:00

When: June 2009
Where: Oahu, HI
What: Trash the Dress / Day After Photo Session

What can I say about this TTD session that is not already 'said' by their photographs below. Except that perhaps Aron was not aware at first just how much trashing would be taking place. ;o) But towards the end of the session at the beach he was so into Julee and vice versa all I had to do was compose and click. Yep....gotta like it like that.

Cheers!
B.

To see more teaser photographs from this fab TTD session have a looksie at their gallery
on my Facebook page!

Andrea + Jordan {Sneak Preview}

2009-07-01T23:23:00.015-10:00

When: June 2009
Where: Oahu, Hawaii
What: A Delightful Hawaii Wedding

Andrea contacted me about photographing her wedding a while ago after she saw my work from Christine & Jonah's wedding which she attended last year. And when she told me that her reception was at the Waikiki Aquarium the 'ol gears in my head started turning thinking of all the fun and romantic photographs I could get of her and Jordan.

From the 'getting ready' shots at The Lotus (which is an absolutely fantastic hotel) to the reception at the Waikiki Aquarium, the whole experience of photographing their wedding was just plain awesome. One thing that really stood out for me from that day was that Andrea had some of the nicest and most thoughtful bridesmaids a gal could have. They did such a great job of taking care of her so she could enjoy her day with family and friends. (I should add though that the same could be said about the guys as well). Yep - it t'was all good and I'm sure both Andrea and Jordan are thankful for such terrific friends.

vendor info:
Wedding Coordination: One Fine Day
Venues: The Lotus at Diamondhead
Thurston Memorial Chapel
Waikiki Aquarium

To see more 'teaser' photos from Andrea & Jordan's wedding check out their gallery on my Facebook page.

Cheers!
B.

P.S. A special thanks to photographer Carrie Matsunaga for lending a hand with assisting and second shooting.

Julee + Aron {sneak preview}

2009-06-27T08:51:00.006-10:00

When: June 2009
Where: Oahu, HI
What: Intimate Hawaii Destination Wedding

Julee and Aron (who are from Southern CA) are not your ordinary couple, thus it is no surprise they elected to have a not-so-ordinary wedding! With the help of Katy Castillo as their wedding coordinator, they arranged to have their wedding aboard a catamaran off the coast of Waikiki.

While sailing along the coast, the wedding couple and guests were treated to a light rain blessing, a rainbow, and sea turtles swimming next to the boat. It definitely was an experience that will be remembered by them and their guests for many moons to come.

Julee and Aron decided to have a 'Day After' session so keep your eyes peeled for a few of those photographs to be posted soon also...

vendor info:
Wedding Coordination: Katy Castillo Weddings
Minister: Rev. Greg Christopherson

Cheers!
B.

To see more teaser photos check out their gallery on my Facebook page!

{Julee is a HUGE Diet Coke fan so this photo was a must take}

Talia + Darren {encore!}

2009-06-26T18:49:00.006-10:00

I know, it's been a while since my last post - but it's been a busy month and to top it all off I spent last week trying to get over a head cold and ear infection. Eck! (BTW you should try standing straight on a catamaran photographing a wedding with an antihistamine in your system...and folks thought I was a klutz beforehand!).

Anyhows....I'm slowing catching back up and wanted to share some more photos from Talia and Darren's wedding. This destination wedding is definitely one of my all time favs for lots of reasons, the least not being the kindness of both Talia and Darren but also their friends and family. It was also a fun wedding because they included loads of personal touches.

For example....after having a gander at their photos I'm sure some of you are wondering what's up with the white paper crowns? Well apparently in England they celebrate Christmas (and now weddings) with party poppers (aka English crackers), which are pictured below before being 'popped'. For weddings the 'prize' inside includes the paper crown (which you must wear I'm assuming for luck?) and a gold angel knick knack. Even yours truly was corralled into wearing one of these crowns, and was generously included in the festivities. :o)

To see more teaser photos check out their gallery on my Facebook page!

Cheers!
B.

Zelda + Chad {Sneak Preview}

2009-06-11T20:38:00.006-10:00

When: June 2009
Where: Oahu, Hawaii
What: lifestyle portrait photography

Zelda had contacted me about having a lifestyle portrait session with her and her boyfriend, Chad, as a treat to themselves (they have been working out and wanted to show off their hard work!). When I met her for our in-person consult she was one tough cookie, but in a good way. She asked me all sorts of questions, and I was happy she did because I could tell that she saw her portraits as an important investment. *Yay*

We were blessed with sunny skies and terrific lighting the day of the photoshoot. Besides the awesome weather, Chad and Zelda's carefree attitude made my job oh-so easy! They were a blast to photograph, and I have never seen anyone do wardrobe changes as fast as Zelda. ;o)

Cheers!
B.

To see more teaser photos check out their gallery on my Facebook page!

Kathy + Justin {& family Sneak Preview II}

2009-06-08T21:55:00.003-10:00

When: May 2009
Where: Oahu, Hawaii
What: lifestyle portrait photography

As mentioned in the previous post - Justin's parents and brother joined in on the fun and had some family portraits taken as well. It was a such pleasure to talk with and photograph them, and there were more than a few times they had me chuckling. So without further ado....here are a few teasers.

Cheers!
B.

P.S. Justin and Kathy definitely win the jumping contest, with a close second by Justin's dad. :o)

Kathy + Justin {& family Sneak Preview I}

2009-06-07T19:19:00.002-10:00

When: May 2009
Where: Oahu, Hawaii
What: lifestyle portrait photography

Kathy recently finished up her bachelor's degree (yay!), so she and Justin (a.k.a Jordan) decided to take a trip to Hawaii to celebrate. It was Kathy's first time to the islands, so what a better way to remember it than with a romantic & fun portrait session on the beach?

Justin's family also joined them on their holiday so stay tuned for some photos of them to be posted soon...

Cheers!
B.

To see more teaser photos check out their gallery on my Facebook page!

Raechelle + Bernard Maternity {sneak preview}

2009-06-02T18:07:00.004-10:00

When: May 2009
Where: Windward Oahu, Hawaii
What:Maternity Portrait Session

Raechelle and Bernard are eagerly expecting their first little one this month, and to help remember & celebrate this special occasion they decided to have a maternity portrait session.

With summer upon us, we decided for a morning shoot though it was still pretty darn hot. Raechelle was getting over a cold and of course the heat was extra hard on her, but she was a such trooper and toughed it out. Here are just a few samples of what we captured that day, and I think it was totally worth it.

P.S. to baby Maya - your mom and dad are looking forward to your birthday! :o)

Cheers!
B.

Nikki + Matthew {sneak preview}

2009-05-22T22:39:00.008-10:00

When: May 2009
Where: Oahu, Hawaii
What: engagement lifestyle photography

OK - it's official. My favorite 'prop' is an airplane, and I love it when clients opt for a portrait session that has a 'theme'.

When I met with Nikki and Matthew to talk about their engagement session, we decided to go with a WWII / patriotic / vintage feel. *whahoo* Personally I think this really matches them for a couple of reasons:
1) Matthew is in the Marines.
2) They are getting married on the 4th of July.

And you bet your bottom dollar I am their wedding photographer also so you will definitely be seeing more photographs of this fun and gorgeous couple on my blog!

Cheers!
B.

Wedding Prologue: Nghi + Mark

2009-05-20T11:38:00.005-10:00

When: May 2009
Where: Oahu, HI
What: Intimate Hawaii Destination Wedding

Just posting a few "preview" images of Nghi and Mark's recent destination wedding. And yes, the cake looked so yummy, I had the urge to post two images of it! ;o)

More to come soon...

vendor info:
Wedding Coordination: Katy Castillo Weddings
Ceremony Location: Lanikuhonua
Reception Location: Private Estate, Windward Oahu
Wedding Cake: Sunshine's Cake Creations
Catering: Beaches & Backyards Catering

Cheers!
B.

Terra Photography on the Web

2009-05-20T10:36:00.005-10:00

I recently discovered that some of my photos were featured in a few posts on Jomygoodness, which is a wedding planning blog by a bride-to-be.

After perusing her site, I have to say she has an eye for detail and color pallets so if you are looking for some inspiration, definitely it check out:
Jomygoodness ~ where passion meets planning

Cheers!
B.

Wedding Epilogue: Autumn + Alexander

2009-05-19T16:07:00.005-10:00

I know, I know - I already blogged several photos from Autumn and Alexander's destination wedding which was on the North Shore; but the lighting that day was soooo yummy and I have so many favs that I felt the need to post just a handful more....

Cheers!
B.

The Santos Family

2009-05-17T21:11:00.003-10:00

When: April 2009
Where: Hilo, Hawaii
What: Hawaii family lifestyle photography

Aoloa had emailed me a while back about having her family's portraits taken, but since she lives in Hilo we decided to wait for a time when I would be over on the Big Island anyway. Fortunately we were able to get together during my trip over to Kona last month. And boy am I so glad we did because I don't think there is a word that has been invented yet that describes how nice and sweet Aoloa and her family are!

Luckily the Hilo rains took a break for the afternoon and we were able to capture some wonderful memories for her to hang on a special wall in their new home. Yayyy!

Cheers!
B.

Wedding Epilogue: Janice + Derek

2009-05-11T20:34:00.007-10:00

When: March 2009
Where: Elks Club, Waikiki
What: Hawaii Destination Wedding Photography

Sometimes there are couples that you meet that you just can't help but smile around. Janice and Derek were one of those couples - you can see 'plain as day' the love that they share for each other! Janice is originally from Oahu, and now lives in Seattle. But her and Derek decided that getting married in Hawaii was meant to be, and I was lucky enough to be the one to photograph their special day.

They decided to have an intimate sunset wedding (which actually turned into a twilight wedding) surrounded by family and friends. It was a touching ceremony and I think Janice, her mom, and her grandmother all went through a few Kleenex. Yep, was a happy day for all! :o)

Cheers!
B.

The Colling Family

2009-05-04T09:15:00.003-10:00

When: March 2009
Where: Windward, Oahu
What: family lifestyle photography

The Colling family, who are also from Canada, joined their friends the Jung's on their first trip to Hawaii so I had the pleasure of photographing them both during their holiday. And even though it was a very windy day at the beach, everyone took it in stride and had fun anyway - they were in Hawaii after all! :o)

BTW, during the photo session I learned that both of their daughters are very talented - one is a singer and the other a dancer. (Though I think both could add "model" to their talent list as well). I'm sure their little brother will follow in their footsteps as he gets older.

Cheers!
B.

The Jung Family

2009-04-28T09:05:00.003-10:00

When: March 2009
Where: Windward, Oahu
What: family lifestyle photography

The Jung family are from Canada and this was their first trip to Hawaii, so what better way to document their holiday than with a portrait session! It was again a windy day here, but I think we were able to still have a fun time and capture some nice memories for them.

As it turns out, the Jung's tag-teamed their session with their close friends, the Colling family, so stay turned for their photographs to be posted soon...

Cheers!
B.

Wedding Prologue: Talia + Darren

2009-04-23T12:07:00.010-10:00

When: April 2009
Where: Hilton Waikoloa Village, Big Island of Hawaii
What: Hawaii Destination Wedding

Ooooooh yeah. I was pretty excited about this wedding because it was on the beautiful Kohala coast on the Big Island. I love it there! BUT what was the best part of all is that I had the privilege of meeting Talia, Darren, and their wonderful friends and family.

Talia and Darren live in California, but decided to have an intimate destination wedding here in Hawaii. Darren though is originally from England so myself and a few others learned some new wedding traditions which added much fun and delightment to the festivities! I'm sure I will have many lovely photographs of Talia and Darren's wedding to share, but for now here is a preview of just a random few.

Cheers!
B.

Happy Day from my little Earth Dog

2009-04-22T09:16:00.014-10:00

Annie-belle the Scottie would like you to join her in celebrating Earth day by helping some of her fellow Scottie "Earth dogs" in their quest to find their forever home.

Portrait Special:
If you book a portrait package between now and May 31, 2009* you can receive $35 off the package rate by contributing $15 to the Scottie Kingdom Rescue. And since Scottie Kingdom Rescue, Inc. is an approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, your contribution is a tax-deductible donation to the extent allowed by law. So you get a great deal x2!

To get the discount, please email your donation to "Donate@scottiekingdom.com" through your PayPal account. Then just forward me the confirmation email you get from PayPal and WAALAA! You get the discount.

Thanks for helping and Happy Earth Day!
B. & Annie-belle

*You just have to book your portrait package before 05/31/2009, but the portrait session can be at a later date.

A Short Epilogue

2009-04-21T21:50:00.012-10:00

Just had to share a couple more favs from Sunshine and Joe's wedding. It's not often you get to use a plane as a prop! :o)

And I received an email from Autumn, who was a recent client, with a photo and the message: "Married life is hard". Check out the snapshot she sent below. Yes, that is her in her wedding dress with her new hubby, Alexander -- long boarding. Gotta love it.

Cheers!
B.

P.S. Connect on Facebook! I'm finally created a Facebook Page - so you can see even more photos and the latest news/specials there as well. Whahoo!

Photo below courtesy of Autumn:

Scottie Dog vs. the...

2009-04-19T09:18:00.011-10:00

weeds. So far the score is:

Annie-belle: 0
weeds: 2

Don't you just love naughty Scotties?! I'm finally starting to catch up from a busy March, so will be blogging like a mad woman over the next couple of months. Hmmmm since spring is in the air AND I'm sporting a new blog design (btw how do ya like it?), I think it may be time to run a special....stay tuned!

Gotta love this mug shot after the "crime" took place. :o)

Autumn + Alexander {sneak preview}

2009-03-31T18:52:00.007-10:00

When: March 2009
Where: North Shore, Oahu
What: Hawaii Destination Wedding

Many times a bride and groom having a destination wedding here on Oahu prefer having it somewhere along the North Shore because it is not as crowded as Waikiki. Other times, it it because it is a reflection of themselves - laid back ocean enthusiasts. I would have to say the latter was definitely the case with Autumn and Alexander. I had arrived a little early to scout a few spots along the beach and with only 1/2 hour until the scheduled time of the ceremony, Autumn was still in her bathing suit (she had taken a longboard out earlier in the day to catch some waves before tying the knot!).

Needless to say, things ran a bit behind but their intimate beach ceremony was beautiful. While Autumn was getting ready the guys put the finishing touches on the arch, which I think was one of the most unique and stunning I have ever seen. I think it also reflected their love of nature. Wouldn't you agree? Finally, their ceremony was sprinkled with elements of Native American tradition and speeches from family and close friends. It was truly a special day for not only Autumn and Alexander, but their guests as well.

Allegra + Jonas {sneak preview}

2009-03-26T11:46:00.013-10:00

When: March 2009
Where: Leeward, Oahu
What: Engagement Photo Session | WARNING: Image heavy post! :o)

I absolutely love love love shooting destination lifestyle portraits. In this case, it was also an engagement portrait session - so double bonus! Allegra was recently visiting Oahu from California for business, and of course this was a great opportunity for a small holiday also with her fiance, Jonas. They are not tying the knot until next year, but decided to get their engagement photographs done here in Hawaii.

It was hard to pick only a few to show as teasers because they both have a smile that would brighten most anyone's day, and before I knew it I had processed more than the usual number of preview images. (I should thank them though for being cooperative and smiling at all my corny jokes). Allegra and Jonas also were up for me trying some new off-camera lighting techniques after sunset. Yeah yeah, I'll admit it...I'm a fan of the inky blue sky in those shots.

Besides having stellar smiles, they both have amazing tattoos. Especially check out Jonas' tatt on his back - I'm ashamed to admit I was so busy composing the shot that I did not notice until later that it is an ambigram. How groovy is that?!?!

Whahoo - Yay - Yippee!

2009-03-24T21:44:00.007-10:00

OK - gotta toot my own horn (...as they say).

Pacific New Media (PNM) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa recently held a juried competition for digital photography. The theme was "A Survey of Digital Imagery in Hawaii", and was open to both professional and amateur photographers. There were close to 200 entries, and I was fortunate enough to have two images selected for display in the exhibit, especially since there are many amazing photographs being shown. If you get a chance, stop by the Canon Gallery at Ward to check out everyone's work (see announcement below).

Also this month I have some photographs on display as part of a group show (Hawaii Photography Society) at Pauahi Tower. This exhibit is up until April 8th so be sure to stop by and check it out as well.

The crowd at the opening reception - it was packed!

Me and my friend and fellow photog, Carrie, standing next to our prints.
Alas overhead lighting is not very flattering is it? We look different
in person - honest! :o)

Yaaaay Carrie - you go girl! (The print of the girl in the swing located above
her head is hers).

Sunshine + Joe {sneak preview - Day 2}

2009-03-13T23:36:00.006-10:00

When: March 2009
Where: Windward, Oahu
What: Mini-"Day After" Photo session

If this couple looks familiar, your probably recognize them from the post below. The day after their wedding, Sunshine and Joe wanted to have a mini-TTD session to get some more fun, artsy, and relaxed photographs. I absolutely love these types of sessions since they are so relaxed and the couple are usually up for anything.

You may notice from the photos the wind was still blowing like crazy; thus I decided to shoot for more of an editorial/fashion look and use the movement from the wind to our advantage. Hopefully it worked!

On a side note, the ocean created some excitement also...as you can tell from the triptych below. NOTE: no photographers, cameras or "L" lenses were harmed in the filming of that sequence. ;o)

Sunshine + Joe {sneak preview}

2009-03-06T14:56:00.007-10:00

When: February 2009
Where: Hickam AFB, Oahu
What: Intimate Hawaii Wedding

This is probably one of the toughest weddings I have photographed due to the weather conditions; but at the same time, I think I perhaps captured a few of my favorite wedding images to date. The winter weather here in Hawaii has been especially brisk lately - lots of wind, rain, and more wind. The day of Sunshine and Joe's small outdoor wedding had all of the above, though thankfully the rain let up for us! The wind was so bad we even had to shoot some of the portraits in the bathroom at the park - can to guess which ones? ;o)

Despite the weather, both Sunshine and Joe had high spirits and kept what was important in perspective. They were getting married! As a photographer I am thankful they kept that positive attitude as it certainly came out in the photographs. As a bonus of the day, Sunshine did a quick change of clothes and we headed over to an old plane on the base for more "vintage" style photos. The last set below is perhaps one of my favs from their wedding day.

The Covington Family v.2 {sneak preview}

2009-03-03T11:09:00.004-10:00

When: February 2009
Where: Ko Olina Beach Villas, Hawaii
What: Family Portrait Session

The Covingtons were recently back vacationing in Hawaii, and I was delighted when they asked me to photograph them again. I had the pleasure of photographing them during their stay in 2007, so you may recognize them from this post.

I know I mentioned this before, but I am always amazed at how much kids change and grow up in a relatively short amount of time. Mind you, I had not seen Fisher and Adler in about 1.5 years, but they are truly starting to become little ladies. (This is besides the point of them being cute as can be, which of course runs in the family! lol). I think one of my top favs from the photos below is of the two of them hugging on the beach. I hope when they are grown up with their own children that they look at that photo and enjoy a happy childhood memory of their holiday while in Hawaii!

A Girl's Best Friend

2009-02-28T09:36:00.004-10:00

I know it is supposed to be diamonds, but this gal is going to throw her hat in with the men on this one and say it is her dog. :o)

Annie-belle (and her sister ~ Laurie) turned two this week. Looking back over the past year, I am amazed at how much they have accomplished and am thankful for all the "adventures" we have shared together. (Annie-belle has her CD and RE titles, and Laurie is a CH and has her RA - hurray). I know - seems cheesy but any fellow dog lover will certainly understand!

In celebration of their birthday, thought I would post some recent snapshots of them.

Cheers!

Annie-belle: Boy, that wind sure be a blowing.

Laurie: Yeah - no kidding! It's messing up my Scottie 'brows. But it sure is a helluva view.

Annie-belle: Do you see any whales yet?
Laurie: Nope, do you?

Annie-belle: Ah mom, do we have to take ANOTHER photo? Sheesh.

Laurie: Blast, will that wind ever calm down? It's still messing with my Scottie good looks. Can we have our treats now??

And Baby Will Make Three {sneak preview}

2009-02-20T08:59:00.011-10:00

When: February 2009
Where: Windward Oahu, Hawaii
What:Maternity Session

Kara and Tom are expecting their first little one, and wanted to capture some maternity photographs before the big day...which by-the-way is very soon! I know it may seem old fashioned, but I think it is pretty awesome that they still don't know if the baby is a boy or girl yet (by their choice). Guess for me it adds a little more excitement and anticipation to an already emotional experience. :o)

Weather during winter in Hawaii can be tricky, and starting a couple of days before our photo session it was pretty windy and stormy. But the day of our shoot we had beautiful blue skies, though twas still a bit windy. No worries though - we had a great time anyway and I think captured some mighty nice images. For now I'm posting a few "teasers", though I suspect I may have to post a few more once I finish processing them all.

Enjoy!

Catching up with travels...

2009-02-16T11:30:00.005-10:00

I finally had a little down time last month so caught up with processing some travel, nature, and landscape photographs. Thus I thought I'd post a few of them for a little variety in the blog and to satiate my landscape/nature photo pals!

The ones below are from my trip to California last October. My photog friend, Renee, and I took a little photo safari (to Joshua Tree NP and Idyllwild), and as you can see we enjoyed a variety of stuffs to photograph and of course had lots of fun. As strange as it may sound, it was nice to shoot something other than beach, palm trees, and ocean. :oP

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!

Christie + Daryl {engaged!}

2009-01-29T21:16:00.007-10:00

When: December 2008
Where: Windward Oahu, Hawaii
What:Engagement Session

Christie and Daryl recently visited Hawaii from Oz to scout locations for their 2010 wedding. Needless to say, I was the lucky photographer they selected to shoot some engagement photos while they were on Oahu.

First, let me tell you they were up for some sexy and fun photos! (Now now, not going to post any photos that are that naughty so get your minds out of the gutter....) Yeppers, me thinks most Americans are fairly tame compared to Aussies. Hmmm...maybe I need a change of scenery. J/K.
;o)

Besides having such a grand 'ol time photographing them, it was great to talk story about the differences between the U.S. and Australia. For example, Dickies® workwear are apparently da bomb there. Go figure. Anyhows, if you happen to bump into them, be sure to give them a congrats on their engagement and watch for them to be back in the islands in 2010!

The Caronello Family

2009-01-23T19:29:00.004-10:00

When: November 2008
Where: Windward Oahu, Hawaii
What:Family Portrait Session

The Caronellos were another referral from a past client (thanks!). Their two girls are adorable and as you can tell quite photogenic - just like their parents. :o)

A bonus of the photo session was that we shot at a location that is absolutely gorgeous. One of my favs though access to the beach is limited. And while it was mighty windy that day, we were lucky enough to have blue skies and gorgeous lighting so I think we came away with some great images.

The Lee Family

2009-01-15T22:38:00.009-10:00

When: November 2008
Where: Oahu, Hawaii
What:Destination Family Portrait Session

The Lee family are repeat clients - I had the pleasure of being their portrait photographer during their last visit to Hawaii in 2007. At that time, their daughter was very young, very shy, and would not consider even touching the sand at the beach.

Boy have things changed since then! As you can see from the photos below, their daughter now very much LIKES playing in the sand, and certainly is no longer shy. I really enjoyed seeing how much she had grown up. There was also another addition to the family - they have new baby boy. Check out his modeling pose...can you say cutie pie?? ;o)

Enjoy!

Maggie + Bryan

2009-01-08T22:47:00.011-10:00

When: November 2008
Where: Makaha, Oahu
What: Intimate Hawaii Destination Wedding

Maggie and Bryan are from Southern California and had a small destination wedding on an ocean-side private estate on Oahu's west side. The venue was gorgeous, and though the skies were a bit cloudy, the rain gods were kind enough to ease up for their wedding.

BTW, besides wearing an absolutely romantic wedding dress, Maggie had one of the most unique engagement rings I have ever seen so be sure to check out the photo of it below.

vendor info:
Wedding Coordination: Katy Castillo Weddings
Wedding Cake: Sunshine's Cake Creations
Catering: Beaches & Backyards Catering (yum!)

....and best wishes in the New Year

2008-12-25T11:04:00.002-10:00

Nicole + Richard {part deux}

2008-12-21T13:09:00.007-10:00

When: October 2008
Where: San Diego, California
What: Jewish/Persian Destination Wedding

You probably recognize Nicole and Richard from a previous blog post, so you may be wondering why the second post? Because I had the wonderful pleasure of photographing both of their wedding ceremonies. Yep - they had two of them! :o)

Besides their Hawaii destination wedding, they also had a more formal Jewish/Persian ceremony back home in San Diego. I had a wonderful time photographing their Kona wedding, thus when they asked if I would be interested in flying out to California to photograph their at home ceremony I of course said yes!

I absolutely love San Diego. The SD photographers are so lucky to have Balboa Park (where we did family formals and some other fun shots) as a backdrop for their wedding and portrait photography. The wedding ceremony itself was at Nicole's parents house - which is without a doubt one of the most beautiful homes I have been in. And needless to say the decorations and food were spectacular.

Their SD wedding was of course fun and had stunning locations, but was also one of the most challenging I have photographed to date due to the low lighting during their ceremony and reception. But everything worked out in the end for a lovely wedding - after looking at the photos below wouldn't you agree?

Congrats again to Nicole and Richard!

The latest scoops

2008-12-12T22:15:00.005-10:00

Winter is our wet season here in Hawaii, and the last couple of days certainly have been that. Parts of the island got hit pretty hard with flooding, but I was lucky to just have my power knocked out for a bit.

Anyhows....I thought I would post a photo that reflects our lovely weather conditions of late. It's of Annie-belle (of course) and her sister after I had given them a bath a few days ago. Nothing like stinky wet dog - phew!

Also, if you have visited my web site lately, you will notice the new and improved look. whahooo!

Scottie dog in a haystack

2008-11-26T20:26:00.004-10:00

Annie-belle playing hide-n-seek in the neighborhood park. :o)
Happy Thanksgiving!

Change Is in the Air

2008-11-21T23:14:00.003-10:00

The past month has been one of the busiest this year. But with the new year just around the corner, I'll be rolling out a new website with fresh and more recent images (yay, finally!), and updating my wedding and portrait packages. Thus if you were thinking about booking a photo session, now is the time to do it before the rate increase next month.
:o)

The Newton Family {Teaser Preview}

2008-11-17T19:23:00.008-10:00

When: November 2008
Where: East Oahu
What:Family Portrait Session

This is the first of what I am planning to be a "blog-a-thon" over the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned for photos from a few weddings, family portraits, and some photos from my mini-holiday in California. AND of course some photographs of Annie-belle my Scottie dog....I'm past due on posting some fun shots of her also! ;o)

Sarah was a referral from another client I photographed recently, and I have to say I was pretty excited when she said she was interested in having more of a Western feel to her photo session. Don't get me wrong, I love photographing at the beach, but it is nice to flex your creative muscles in a different way once in a while. Better than the location though was their carefree and relaxed attitude. I think their daughter, Maddie (yep, another one!), enjoyed telling me all about the horses, flowers, and everything else she saw. She was pretty articulate for a lass of her age. :o)

BTW, the last image of her was caught as we were leaving the stables...truly a candid moment and perhaps my fav from the day.

Nicole + Richard {Hawaii Destination Wedding}

2008-10-31T14:46:00.005-10:00

When: August 2008
Where: Mauna Lani Hotel, Big Island
What: Hawaii Destination Wedding

I absolutely LOVE the Big Island, so I was pretty excited when Nicole and Richard asked if I was available to photograph their destination wedding in Kona. Lucky for us, the vog was not too bad the day of the wedding, and we had some beautiful blue skies for some portraits the morning after the wedding. But what made it such an awesome wedding was how enjoyable both Nicole and Richard were to photograph - plus I should mention how friendly their families were.

I had a lot of favs from this wedding so it was hard to choose which ones to post. But this will have to do for now since Nicole and Richard were kind enough to fly me to San Diego a couple of weeks ago to photograph their second ceremony at home. (Yep, my first destination wedding outside of Hawaii). It was also gorgeous of course, so I'm sure I am going to have a hard time picking favs from that wedding also.

Happy Halloween! :o)

The Coulston Family(s)

2008-10-28T20:18:00.008-10:00

When: September 2008
Where: Honolulu, Hawaii
What: Family Portrait Session

Nope, you are not seeing double, nor is this one lucky guy with two lovely wives. They are actually twins! :o)

Thank goodness Chelsea and Sophia were there to keep the guys out of "trouble". Just kidding. But one thing is for sure, little baby Maddie stole the day...isn't she the cutest one-month old baby?

Heather + Sean {Teaser Preview}

2008-10-13T21:33:00.008-10:00

When: October 2008
Where: North Shore
What: Intimate Beach Wedding

I enjoy all the weddings I photograph for their uniqueness and that something special between the bride and groom. But I have to say that the small, intimate weddings are favs because there usually is not a tight schedule to keep. Plus when it is just you and the bride and groom, you can usually get pretty creative with your shots. I recently had the great pleasure of photographing Heather and Sean's wedding at a "secret" and special location on the North Shore. Before the ceremony we took some fun shots around Haleiwa Town, and since they were pretty open to anything we had a lot of fun capturing their delightful personalities (Sean is an avid surfer btw).

Congrats to Heather and Sean ~ enjoy the photos! :o)

a 'lil beach babe & his mom {Teaser Preview}

2008-09-28T18:43:00.008-10:00

When: September 2008
Where: Windward Oahu
What:Family Portrait Session

"Too cute" is an understatement when it came to photographing baby Dominic. It is always touch and go with little ones, but he was a great sport when it came to his mom and me trying to get him to flash one of his killer smiles or darling looks. I think the Ford Modeling Agency may be giving him a call in the future! :o) Here are a few "teaser" photos from our portrait session.

Pam + Greg {08-08-08}

2008-09-26T17:55:00.006-10:00

When: August 2008
Where: Honolulu
What:THE Wedding Date: 08/08/08

This year's hot date for a wedding was August 8th, especially for Chinese weddings as the number "8" is considered to be lucky. I had the honor of photographing Pam and Greg's reception which I have to say was AMAZING!! They had lion dancers (of course) and hula dancers perform to a crowd of over 300 people. And the menu was to die for (the reception was held at the Mandalay Restaurant downtown). Heck, I would have paid to sit back and watch everything! :o) Anyhows, if you see either of them around town, be sure to congratulate them.

Kendra + Dean

2008-09-11T21:47:00.006-10:00

When: August 2008
Where: Windward side, Oahu
What:Hawaii Destination Wedding

Goodness gracious (!) things have been a bit busy lately so I have not been able to post much on the 'ol blog. Lame excuse I know.. :o)

Anyhows, I'm delighted to share the photographs from Kendra & Dean's wedding. They came all the way from Nebraska for their destination wedding and of course to soak up the beauty of paradise. Beautiful blue skies and the decor set up on the beach by Aloha Wedding Planners combined to make a lovely backdrop for the ceremony. Kendra looked simply stunning in her wedding dress - don't you agree?!? You guessed it...another fun and gorgeous wedding I had the pleasure to photograph. I love my job!

Nichole + Andy

2008-08-25T20:37:00.003-10:00

When: July 2008
Where: Lanikai, Oahu
What:Hawaii Destination Wedding ~~~~ Nichole and Andy are from Georgia and decided to have an intimate destination wedding on the windward side of Oahu. Nichole has to be one of the happiest brides I have ever photographed. I don't think she stopped smiling the whole time I was there. One of my favs from the day is the photo of her opening the bottle of champagne...Cheers!

The Heironimus Family

2008-08-09T22:13:00.004-10:00

When: June 2008
Where: Lanikai Beach
The Heironimus family wanted a bon voyage family photo session before they left Hawaii for the Mainland. And of course Lanikai was the perfect backdrop. All the best to them in their new home!!

Fetch Anyone?

2008-08-01T17:26:00.006-10:00

Annie-belle the Scottie Dog with her (current) favorite doggie toy. The amount of noise this little squeaky makes is something to write home (or on my blog) about!

Kate + Sean

2008-07-27T20:55:00.008-10:00

When: June 2008
Where: Molii Gardens, Oahu
What: Intimate Hawaii Wedding ~~~~ Kate and Sean had a lovely wedding shared with close family and friends over on Windward Oahu. It was a pleasure photographing and sharing their special day with them!

{ the dog days of summer }

2008-07-13T07:38:00.003-10:00

Thought I would share something cute and a little different this week, and of course I'm partial to photos of my Scottie. ;o)

Annie-belle waiting patiently for a gecko to stroll by out on the lanai.

The Lewis Family

2008-07-05T20:41:00.007-10:00

When: May 2008
Where: Honolulu
My favorite part of this photo session was capturing Cole's expressions. I think everyone would agree he is a cute baby!

Jidiah + Zach

2008-06-21T18:09:00.006-10:00

When: May 2008
Where: Hale Koa, Oahu
What: An Oahu Wedding ~~~~~ I would call Jidiah & Zach's wedding an example of a "perfect storm" when it came to photography: a nice location next to a beautiful beach; a lovely + nice bride, groom, and family; and some spectacular lighting from the setting sun. It was hard to choose which images to post on the 'ol blog! Anyhows, I'm looking forward to photographing them on our "Day After TTD" shoot...lots of fun I'm sure!

Happy Summer Solstice.

the Scottie dog & taking a bath

2008-06-14T14:41:00.003-10:00

Contrary to her expression, my Scottie actually likes the water. She is just not fond of having her photo taken.

:o)

Happy Father's Day!

Eileen + Greg

2008-06-12T20:04:00.003-10:00

When: April 2008
Where: Makapu`u & Sandy's Beach, Oahu
What: Hawaii Destination Wedding ~~~~~ Eileen and Greg had as about a small of destination wedding as you can have....it was them, the minister, and myself. You guessed it, they eloped. :o) I thoroughly enjoyed photographing them as there was no rush, they were very easy going, and they were looking for a blend of casual fine art & "trash the dress". I loved Eileen's dress - it reminded me of the classic 1950s style for some reason. Be sure to check out her choker and broach. Greg made them for her - very nice, aye?!?!?

Kelli + David

2008-06-01T17:36:00.004-10:00

When: April 2008
Where: Seacliff Estates, Kauai
What: Kauai Destination Wedding ~~~~~ As frequent blog visitors know, I photograph a large number of Hawaii destination weddings. Most are on Oahu, so when Kelli and David invited me photograph their wedding near Kilauea town on Kauai it was a special treat. On top of that, their friends and families were VERY pleasant and fun to be around. Definitely one of many weddings where I left with a big 'ol smile on my face. Enjoy the photos!

Christine + Jonah

2008-05-25T14:44:00.007-10:00

When: March 2008
Where: Punahou Chapel & Waimanalo, Oahu
What: A true Hawaiian-style Wedding ~~~~~ I usually focus on photographing smaller weddings (especially destination weddings), so this was by far the largest wedding I have photographed to date. There were 600+ people (!) at the reception to wish Christine & Jonah much happiness in their new life together. May we all be so lucky to always be surrounded by our loved ones - no matter how many. :o)

Happy Memorial Day

Calling All Terra Photography Brides....

2008-05-17T13:17:00.003-10:00

As a Thank You! to my former clients, from now until 30 June 2008, I am offering past Terra Photography brides 10% off my 'Day After or TTD' photography package.

New Terra Photography brides who book both a wedding & the 'Day After or TTD' package by 30 June 2008 will get 15% off the TTD package.

Clarissa + Chris

2008-05-17T12:58:00.005-10:00

When: March 2008
Where: MCBH, Oahu
What: Hawaii Wedding ~~~~~ This was the first wedding I shot on MCBH and I must say there are a lot of interesting and fun locations to take advantage of for great photographs. Of course the bride & groom were a lovely couple as well, so that added with the location made for some beautiful images.
Enjoy!